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LaMarcus Aldridge
LaMarcus Nurae Aldridge (born July 19, 1985, in Dallas, Texas) is an American professional basketball player who currently playing for the San Antonio Spurs. He is a 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) power forward–center. Playing career Aldridge attended Seagoville High School, where he became a Parade All-American and Texas Association of Basketball Coaches (TABC) Class 4A Player of the Year prior to graduating in 2004 and attending the University of Texas at Austin.1 He declared for the 2004 NBA Draft but ultimately withdrew his name. According to one report, Aldridge's initial decision to attend college rather than entering the pro ranks directly from high school was influenced by Shaquille O'Neal's personal advice that he should go to college and then evaluate his NBA prospects. However, in April 2006, near the end of his second year at UT, Aldridge announced that he would leave college to enter the 2006 NBA Draft. NBA Draft Aldridge was drafted 2nd overall in the 2006 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls, only to have his draft rights traded to the Portland Trail Blazers for their pick, Tyrus Thomas and Viktor Khryapa, shortly after. The Bulls acquired the pick from the New York Knicks in the 2005 Eddy Curry trade. Rookie season Aldridge missed the first seven games of the 2006–07 NBA season due to off-season shoulder surgery, but returned ahead of schedule due in part to an injury to fellow rookie teammate Brandon Roy. Aldridge made an immediate impact on offense, averaging 8.4 points on 54% shooting from the field through his first 14 games. After the loss of starting center Joel Przybilla in February 2007 to season-ending knee surgery, Aldridge was awarded the starting center position and improved his scoring to 14.7 points alongside 8.0 rebounds per game in the month of March. This placed him second in the voting for the Western Conference Rookie of the Month to Roy. On March 31, 2007, in the first quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers, Aldridge was taken to Providence Hospital in Portland for shortness of breath and irregular heartbeat. He was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome on April 9, 2007, and missed the remaining eight games of the 2006–07 season. Aldridge was one of six players named to the 2007 NBA All-Rookie first team; he tied for fifth place along with Toronto Raptors player Jorge Garbajosa. Heart ailment During the end of the 2006–2007 season he was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, a heart ailment. He missed the rest of the regular season in order to monitor the problem and correct it. 2007–08 season Aldridge increased his play in his sophomore year, with career highs in points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals, and finished third in voting for the Most Improved Player award. During this season, Aldridge had injury troubles due to plantar fasciitis, which caused him to miss games from December 11 to December 18, 2007. After the time missed, Aldridge still had some trouble with the foot but was able to play effectively. Awards and honors NBA All-Rookie First Team: 2007 Career highs Points: 36 on December 31, 2007 against the Utah Jazz. Rebounds: 18 on April 3, 2009 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Assists: 7 on March 22, 2008 against the Los Angeles Clippers. Blocks: 5 on November 30, 2007 against the Dallas Mavericks. (Matched 2 times) Steals: 4 on November 12, 2008 against the Miami Heat. Gallery LaMarcus Aldridge.jpg Category:National Basketball Association players Category:American basketball players Category:Centers Category:Power Forwards Category:Portland Trail Blazers players Category:Players drafted in 2006 Category:Texas Alumni Category:Born in 1985 Category:NBA All-Star participants Category:Players who wear/wore number 12